“Life starts all over again when it gets crisp in the fall,” wrote F. Scott Fitzgerald in The Great Gatsby. We couldn’t agree more! So why not relax and reboot somewhere new this season?
Camptown
Where is it? Leeds
Camptown beckons from its convenient home base at the foot of the Catskill Mountains, just over the Rip Van Winkle Bridge. The boutique hotel compound with two dozen rooms and 26 log cabins affords easy-drive access to many HV attractions—hiking, skiing, art, and live music—but Camptown’s in-house restaurant, Casa Susanna, is the big draw. Mexico native chef Efrén Hernández’s signature dishes include tétela de frijol bayo and alpine cheese, smoked goat birria tatemada (his hometown specialty), whole grilled mackerel al pastor, and sweetbreads. Portions are sized to be shared at the table, so be sure to order plenty of the freshly made tortillas for tasting. To indulge a sweet tooth, incredible donuts, pastries, pies, cookies, and cakes await at Gracie’s Luncheonette, literally a one-minute drive away on Main Street.
Read more: Camptown Is the Catskills Hotel Getaway You Need in Leeds
Hotel Lilien
Where is it? Tannersville
Real estate pros say it over and over: Location, location, location. Frankly, Hotel Lilien couldn’t ask for a better one—just two hours from New York City, four minutes from Hunter Mountain, six minutes from the 178-acre Mountain Top Arboretum, and eight minutes from hiking at Kaaterskill Falls. The 18-room boutique hotel, bar, and lounge officially opened last December and has quickly become a year-round oasis for access to outdoor fun. A full-service Gear Bar for guests offers hiking poles and picnic blankets in the fall. Come winter, snowshoes and a Sled Menu make for a great time on local hills. Nature hikes are led by a New York State-licensed nature guide, and an Artist-in-Residence program showcases works from local makers on a rotating basis.
Read more: Hotel Lilien Charms With Boutique Getaways in the Catskills
A full-service gear bar for guests offers hiking poles and picnic blankets in the fall, sleds and snowshoes in the winter.
Hotel Nyack
Where is it? Nyack
A touch less than 20 miles from the Manhattan border, this Hyatt property in the village of Nyack is a cool choice when New York City proximity is needed. Formerly an industrial landmark, the sleek space boasts vaulted ceilings, hardwood floors, and oversized windows. Some king bedrooms feature balconies with views of the Hudson River and the Mario Cuomo Bridge. FARM, the in-house restaurant, serves up farm-to-table meals all day prepared with fresh, local ingredients. Oversized televisions in the indoor and outdoor bars, creative pub bites (like pretzel-dusted calamari and Sriracha wings) and craft beers from local breweries make for a fun sports-watching scene. To start any night right, we suggest the bourbon blackberry Collins, made with bourbon from Black Dirt Distillery in Warwick, lemon juice, and agave.
Read more: Experience the Joys of Hudson Valley Life at Hotel Nyack
FARM, the in-house restaurant, serves up farm-to-table meals all day prepared with fresh, local ingredients.
Eastwind Oliverea Valley
Where is it? Big Indian
Nestled on the side of a mountain, Eastwind Oliverea Valley offers spectacular views of both sunrise and sunset. Fans of Scandinavian style will instantly love the copious windows, pale wood, and mid-century vintage accents throughout. Cabins come in various configurations to suit different needs and wants—read the descriptions to suss out the private decks, sleeping lofts, window nooks, and desks if you might end up sneaking in some work emails. For planning purposes, also note that some cabins’ private bathrooms are a few steps away. The onsite restaurant, Dandelion, serves a plant-forward menu. (In other words: Yes, please, scrumptious ramp linguine with pecorino, pistachio, and shaved zucchini.) The area offers direct access to the McKenley Hollow Trailhead and other scenic hikes.
Read more: Eastwind Oliverea Valley Is a Scandinavian Escape in the Catskills
Fans of Scandinavian style will instantly love the copious windows, pale wood, and mid-century vintage accents throughout Eastwind.
The Alander
Where is it? Copake
After 15 years together, two native Midwesterners with travel and hospitality backgrounds—they’ve visited over 30 different countries on five continents—decided to open a boutique hotel of their own. In 2021, the ambitious pair began transforming what was once a cheap roadside motel into a stunning 12-room lodge, in a sweet spot of countryside where the Hudson Valley meets the Berkshires. With The Alander as a home base, horseback riding, hiking to find hidden-gem waterfalls, biking along the newly developed Harlem Valley Rail Trail, boating around Copake Lake, and hitting the links at Copake Country Club are all wonderful options. When the mercury plummets, nearby ski areas (including Catamount) are just a stone’s throw away. Hudson and Great Barrington, both bustling towns, offer plenty of dining and shopping. Book lovers, take note: three nearby stores (Rodgers Book Barn, Oblong Books, and A New Leaf Used Books) await you to happily while away an hour or an entire afternoon.
Old Dutch Inn
Where is it? Kinderhook
Since its founding in 1820, the Old Dutch Inn has offered overnight stays under at least five different names, as well as served as a Masonic lodge, a restaurant, a shoe shop, and a private residence. The once remarkable property fell into disrepair and then sat dormant for over 20 years until husband-and-wife team Jake Samascott and Jennifer Ose-MacDonald acquired it in early 2020. Despite closing days before the pandemic shutdown, the pair began a massive rejuvenation, choosing to keep the oldest operating name, Old Dutch Inn, as an homage to the two centuries of history in one of New York State’s oldest villages. The couple happily serve as hyperlocal concierges for guests at their nine-room inn, arranging private gallery showings, walking tours, and farm visits. They also play matchmaker with service providers in town, such as photographers, facialists, and private yoga teachers. All that in addition to luxe Frette bedding and bathrobes and Malin + Goetz bath products.
Since its founding in 1820, the Old Dutch Inn has offered overnight stays under five different names, as well as served as a masonic lodge, a restaurant, and a shoe shop.
Habitas-on-Hudson
Where is it? Rhinebeck
Minimalist but still warm and welcoming, the accommodations here are spread across three different buildings on property: the Manor, Lodge, and Stonehouse. Interestingly, Manor rooms are named for creative luminaries Charles Dickens, Maya Angelou, Hunter S. Thompson and sisters Charlotte, Emily, and Anne Brontë. What makes Habitas-on-Hudson extra special are the programming experiences for both hotel guests and locals. Just as examples, a weekly cinema night features hand-picked films and craft cocktail classes star Habitas’ in-house mixologists. Also, the hotel partners with Catskill Fungi for off-site foraging walks, usually held at Ferncliff Forest. Guided on-site foraging is an option as well.
Read more: Habitas-on-Hudson Is a Luxurious Escape in Dutchess County
On Our Radar
The Inn at Bellefield, Hyde Park
An all-suite hotel (part of the Bellefield at Historic Hyde Park complex) right across from the Culinary Institute of America is expected to open later this year.
Moliving at Hurley House, Hurley
Hotel pods are all the rage. Moliving’s cabins nestled in the Catskills are slated to open in the coming months.
The Ranch, Sloatsburg
A luxury health and wellness retreat is coming in March 2024; it’s located at Table Rock, a 200-acre lakefront estate built for J.P. Morgan’s daughter.
Hudson Hotel, Hudson
Next year, award-winning Casetta Group will unveil a 40-room destination (with a restaurant, yoga bar, wellness space, and pool) on Union Street.
Mirbeau Inn & Spa, Beacon
A second HV Mirbeau is anticipated to open—at Tioranda, the historical Howland family estate on Route 9D—by 2025.
Hotel Updates
Hutton Brickyards, Kingston
Now open: Edgewood, an 1870s mansion with 12 rooms and a restaurant.
The Rounds at Scribner’s, Hunter
A dozen private lodges were added just north of Scribner’s Lodge. Both singles and suites have private outdoor cedar soaking tubs and showers.
Kenoza Hall, Kenoza Lake
Private porches with lake views? Book one of the new king or two-bedroom bungalows ASAP.
Troutbeck, Amenia
This historic getaway welcomed a seven-room addition: Benton House.
Related: Folkways Is a New Type of Wine Shop in Croton Falls
